By this Author: CanaGerm

I am currently home and back to life as I left it 3 months ago. My time in Germany was amazing to say the least.

I have learned so much at work which has opened my eyes on how varying departments function and how it all contributes and connects as a whole.

enchanting heidelberg

Heidelburg day 022

I have learned that judging people based on past history is not only a waste of time and energy but brain cells.

Heidelburg day 079

I have learned that I can live away from my family, friends and comfort zones very well. I just need to have sounding boards and support from said family and friends but otherwise, I can survive.

If I can survive in Germany, I am certain I can live anywhere I set my heart to.

austrian alps

I now know what the missing link was in my life. I have finally found it.

I understand and accept that no matter how exciting something is, there is always an adjustment period but waiting it out can lead to dynamic and wonderful things!

fav. house in strasbourgh, france

I am a different person than I was three months ago.

beautiful germany

Making new friends is very possible and exciting.

pouring rain outside, warm and dry inside my office building

Once I opened up, so did other people.

If you read this blog from the beginning, I thank you, and you will see mainly the positive of my three month stint in Deutschland. Trust me when I say that some spots were very ROUGH! I was not always happy while living here, especially in the beginning, however like in all things, I learned that I have to make myself happy in all situations. I can't rely on others for that.

Germany has touched me so deeply. On my second last night in Stuttgart a few colleagues and friends took me out to celebrate my time here. We all had a great time. So good in fact we left the club when the sun was coming up and I got home on the first train of the day, 5:45am! After the party, we were starving so stopped at a doner place to get a quick snack (just like every other party goer in the city-it is always packed and lively in the city but surprisingly orderly and safe) when I happened to bump (literally) into a couple of coworkers. We ended up speaking for an hour on my stay and their lives etc.. It was great if a bit fuzzy. But before all that and while at the club, the song, "Time of my Life" came on and I have to admit that I choked up a bit as I sang out the song and danced. I feel like I had the time of my life in Deutschland and am beyond happy I came. In fact, I barely have the words to express my feelings of bliss and elation with this country.

germanys countryside on a train

It has been an amazingly rewarding experience. I am beyond happy that I came and that I was able to get so much out from it. I will have some amazing memories and people stored in my heart. I am overwhelmed with emotions right now. And, I think this is a good place to end this blog and close this part of my life.

Thank you for reading and sharing along with my journey into one of the most amazing and fun countries I have had the privilage to live in.

I was lucky enough to go to a concert the other night in the city I live in (almost to be past tense in a few short days), Kornwestheim. I sort of understood some of the songs even though it was mostly in German. Interesting. The more I live here and actually TRY to pick up the language, the more I am doing just that! Of course I am not remotely fluent in any sense of the word but I totally understand certain words which makes my stay better. My colleagues have also been amazing in helping me pronounce words and say things correctly but it is shocking that I can say some words all on my own. It is good to note that Germans pronounce every letter in a word, no matter how long (and damn, some words are ridiculously long) it happens to be.

Sunday found me up kinda eary and out in the door in search of greenery, animals and fresh air. Fresh air is plentiful in this part of Germany so that was a no brainer. I found animals at the Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Before getting to the zoo, I took a bit of a detour and walked in this huge park overlooking Neckar Park. I was able to think about a few things that are going on in my life now and about my future. Nothing was really resolved but I managed to clear my head, enjoy a solitary walk and take some pictures of Swabish countryside.

Before I got the zoo, I happened upon Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Rosenstein. Totally unexpected and was just okay in its magnificence. It was just a hause to me, nothing too important looking.

Next was the Wilhelma. I don't usually like zoo's as I am not too interested in seeing animals in cages but it was not that bad here. Also, they had a gorgeous botanical garden full of flowers and plants some of which I have never seen before.

After walking around for a few hours, I called it quits to the zoo and headed to Neckar Park for some looking around. It was a soothing, calming time. Very lovely park. Great morning and midday outing.

Since I have been in Germany I have only been in the city over the weekend once and that was the first weekend I arrived. From then on, I have been busy going on one adventure or the next. As my time is pretty much over here, I decided to stay in the city this weekend and explore some of the things I told myself I would see way before I even landed on this continent. I thought that I would visit the Wilhelma Zoological and Botanic Garden my first weekend in but I was busy doing other things so I decided to throw it in this time.

In any case, this is what I did last weekend. Took a train to Ulm, Germany which is on the river Danube and the birthplace of Albert Einstein. In Ulm I visited the beautiful, colorful and busy Ulm Marktplatz. But, my real purpose for going to this city was the see the famous Ulm Cathedral and climb all of its 768 stairs. the beginning of the 768 stair climb. Which I did of course albeit huffing and puffing pretty much all the way up. So was everyone else so I didn't feel too bad.